Photographic-print washer



' (No Model.-) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' J. W. O. FLOYD.

PHOTOGRAPHIO PRINT WASHER.

No. 532,775. Patented Jan. 22, 1895.

. n I 4 .O w.

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

J. W- G.FLOYD.- PHOTOGRAPHIG PRINT WASHER.

No. 532,775. Patented Jan. 22, 1895.

LU/79E sses 5 warncy UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' JOHN \V. O. FLOYD, OF LOCK HAVEN, PENNSYLVANIA.

PHOTOGRAPHIC- PRI'NT WASHER.

SPEGIFIGATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 532,775, dated January 22, 1895. Application filed February 26, 1894. Serial No. 501, model) To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. C. FLOYD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lock Haven, in the county of Clinton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Photographic Print- Washing Machines; and I do declare the'following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to that class of photographic print washing apparatus, in which a rocking tray is employed, and it has for its prime object to improve such devices by rendering them moreetfective in operati'on; to improve the tray by providingv wells or receptacles independent of the print chamber to receive water which serves to render the rocking action of-the tray automatic; to more effectively wash the prints by subject'- ing them to a spray of fresh water above and below, and keep the fresh water circulating all around the print while being washed; to provide automatic valves for closing the wells or receptacles in the tray when raised to a pospion to receive the Water supply, and cansin,, such valves to open automatically and discharge the contents of the well when the supply has been cut off.

A further object of the invention is to render the supporting frame adjustable and adapt the parts to be readily disconnected so as to occupy but little space in transportation;

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description and claims when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which- I Figure 1, is a perspective view of my improved apparatus illustrating one of the outer walls of one of the wells partlybroken away. Fig. 2, is a transverse, vertical, sectional view taken in the plane indicated by the dotted line w, w, on Fig. 1. Fig.3, is a horizontal, sectional view taken in the plane indicated by the dotted line y, y, on Fig. '2, looking downward. Fig. 4, is a side elevation of a detail, illustratingthe supporting frame or one of the legs thereof, anda fraction of the tray. Fig. 5, is a similar view with a part in section.

Referring by letter to said drawingsr-A,

indicates a tray. This tray is here illustrated as of a general rectangular form in outline, and, may be of any suitable size, and composed of any suitable material. This tray is provided at opposite ends transversely with wells or receptacles a, which may be formed by providing vertical transverse partition walls I), in the main tray, and these wells or receptacles are each provided with an opening 0, in the bottoms, which is surrounded with avertical flange (1, adapted to form a seat for the valves'B. These valves B, for the sake of cheapness in manufacture, may be formed of flat pieces of wood or other mate-. rial, and provided at opposite ends with a vertically disposed eye 6, which are guided by means of vertical pins .f. Depending from the valves and passing through the slots or apertures c,'are pins 9, which are of a length sufficient to strike the floor or other support beneath the tray, when the tray has been tilted or rocked, asjwill presently appear.

Rising from the side of the tray at its longitudinal center, is an upright or standard 0-, which carries at its upper end a box D, which is divided into two compartments h, and t, and

leading from these respective compartments in a pitched manner, are water pipes E. These pipes E, lead into the wells orreceptacles and are separated from communication witheach other by means of the partition wall in the box D.

. F, indicates a water supply pipe, which may be lead from any source of supply. This pipe which assumes a position above the water box, has a dependingnozzle or discharge branch G, which is designed to supply water to the compartments of the box D, alternately.

The tray is provided on its bottom at opposite ends, with projecting strips k, to serve as stops and limit the rocking movement. The tray is furthermore provided on its bottom in its'transverse center, with castings H, which have beveled bearing points Z, so as to afford but little friction to the rocking movement of the tray.

I, indicates legs or supports. These legs may be of a form, substantially asshown, and are connected by means of a gas pipe or rod K. The legs have screw tapped apertures m, and the ends of the connecting rod or pipe K,

are externally screw threaded as shown at n,

which together constitute a central support or hearing for the tray, and by the construction described, it will be seen that this supporting frame may be readily adjusted and the legs may be quickly removed from the rod or pipe, which is very desirable in shipping or storing away the apparatus, so as to occupy but little space.

Rising from one side of the tray and preferably secured to one of the legs is a standard L, which serves as a support for the water supply pipe F, which passes through an eye or aperturein the upper end of said standard, as shown.

Within the tray and between the wells at the opposite ends thereof, is a ledge M. This ledge extends around the side and end walls and is designed to receive a perforated false bottom N. In the bottom wall of this tray,I

provide a perforated pipe P, which is disposed in an altitude less than the top of the ledge therein, and this pipe may be carried into the shape better shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, or it may be arranged in any suitable shape or configuration.

Arranged around the side walls of this photographic print tray is a perforated pipe Q. This latter pipe is arranged a suitable dis tance above the ledge M, so as to assume a position above the perforated false bottom, and both of these perforated pipes, are connected with a branch pipe R, which in turn is connected with a flexible tube or pipe S, leading from the main supply pipe F.

T, is a supplemental pipe which leads through one of the side walls of the tray into the same and at a point below the false bottom. When it is not desirable to use the lower perforated pipe or pipes, such as when large prints are being washed, it is simply necessary to remove the flexible pipe or tube S, from the connection R, and attach it to the pipe T, in which case, the water will be discharged in a body from the latter pipe into the tray and beneath the false bottom, from whence it will pass through said bottom into the chamber above.

From the construction described it will be seen that I have a tray capable of being rocked on its bearings from a central point, and that the rocking movement is limited by suitable stops at opposite ends. It will also be seen that I have a well at each end of the tray with valves designed to be opened alternately on each downward rocking motion and closed, as they are respectively raised by their gravity.

In operation, the prints are placed in the tray above the false bottom, and water let into the supply pipe F. As the water enters the pipe, some of it will pass out through the discharge nozzle G, into the compartment of the box beneath, and such water will pass from the receiving box, through one of the pipes E, into the adjacent well, until the well has received sutficient water to tilt the tray on its bearings. As the tray tilts, the valve of the well into which the water has been let, will be opened so as to discharge the contents, and during this movement of the tray, the other receptacle or compartment of the receiving box D, will be brought below the discharge nozzle G, when the water will be let into the opposite well through the other pipe E. It will thus be seen that as a sufficient quantity of water is let into one well, and the contents discharged from the other, the tray will be rocked on its bearings, and as such operation is repeated, the rocking will be continuous.

VVhileI have described very specifically and in detail, the construction and combination of parts precisely, as shown, yet I do not wish to be limited to such precise construction or combinations as I am aware that many of them can be changed by a skilled mechanic without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a photographic print washing apparatus, a rocking tray having a well or receptacle at each end, valves controlling the discharge of water from the wells or receptacles and adapted to engage the base on which the tray is mounted and be opened thereby when their respective well or receptacle is lowermost and also adapted to automatically close, and a suitable means for supplying water to the wells or receptacles alternately to rock the tray, substantially as specified.

2. The improved photographic print washing apparatus comprising the tray having the print chamber, the perforated pipe in the bottom thereof, the false bottom above said pipe, the perforated pipe above the false bottom connected with the pipe below the false bottom, the pipe T, leading into the print chamber below the false bottom and a ipe leading from a source of supply and adafihed to be detachably connected to the pipe above the false bottom or to the pipe T, as desired, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A tray 'having a photographic print chamber in combination with a peforated false bottom, a pipe or series of pipes arranged around the inner sides of the chamber above the false bottom, and a pipe or pipes arranged in said chamber below the false bottom, an automatically operated valved well at each end of said tray, and asuitable means for alternately supplying water to said wells, substantially as specified.

l. The improved photographic print washing apparatus, comprising the tray having the print chamber, the ledge therein, the perforated pipes in the bottom thereof, the false bottom above said pipes, and the perforated pipes above said false bottom, the wells at the opposite ends of the tray, having the valves therein, the compartment water box, the pipes leading from said compartments to the wells, the supply pipe, and the connection between said pipe and the perforated pipes,

tray, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a photographic print washing apparatus, the combination of a tray having the print chamber and also wells or receptacles at its ends, valves controlling the discharge of water from the wells or receptacles and adapted to automatically open and close, the compartment Water box connected to and adapted to move with the tray, the pipes leading from the compartments of the water box and adapted to discharge into the wells or receptacles, and a suitable means for feeding water to the compartment water box, sub stantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. o. FLOYD.

Witnesses:

H. O. EVANS, LOUIS E. SMITH. 

